Decks and patios welcome guests and members to your outdoor space in a new (and profitable) way.
A generation ago, club patios and decks were a given for summer-reception overflows—and maybe even a place to squeeze in a smoke break. But particularly in colder climates, these outdoor areas were all but forgotten in the fall and winter months.
That has all changed in recent years, with propane gas heaters becoming more ubiquitous in outdoor spaces. Add a few outdoor TVs, mobile bars, and attractive fire features, and the deck or patio area can be a destination spot for guests and members nearly all year long.
SUMMING IT UP
• Propane fire features and heaters invite guests to stay outdoors, even in cooler weather.
• Comfortable seating ensures the area becomes a meeting place before dinner or tee-off.
• Close proximity to the kitchen helps with serving drinks and appetizers to guests.
Jay Rusch, PGA, General Manager of Woodside Plantation Country Club in Aiken, S.C., notes that his facility recently wrapped up a year of improvements that included a 2,000-sq. ft., stamped-concrete patio with a fire feature, replacing an open grass area.
“It’s now a built-in space to ‘build relationships and enrich the lives’ of our members,” Rusch says, quoting the club’s mantra. “Previously, the space was a makeshift area for private and member events, but now we can use it more formally with furniture, linens, lighting and speakers.”
Woodside’s patio features a low-maintenance, natural gas fire pit in one corner, positioned optimally to “overlook the golf course and setting sun,” says Rusch. With its three-foot, LED-lit knee wall for safety (and to conveniently set down a drink), the patio has become a popular place to congregate.
“We’ve supplemented it by purchasing multiple satellite propane heaters, and we’ve found that this new area is giving us significant opportunities for additional event space, allowing us to offer anniversary and birthday parties, as well as weddings,” Rusch reports. “We’ve used this space in multiple ways so far, and it’s been very well-received by the membership.”
Making the Most
The new flagstone patio and fire pit at Brentwood (Tenn.) Country Club have also been well-received—just not in the way that the staff originally envisioned. The patio was built on green space that was gained as a result of rerouting the cart path along the back of the clubhouse. Members had been requesting a more formal area to stage outdoor functions and, as General Manager Todd Hendrix, CCM, recalls, “we realized we had the opportunity to make something special.”
“When we first built the patio, we envisioned it as an outdoor dining experience,” he explains. “We added a grill-side menu, but we soon realized that it was turning out to be more popular as a place to meet and take in the social scene, rather than enjoy an entire meal.”
After recognizing the transition early on, the Brentwood staff began to cater to the impromptu crowds that were gathering by offering appetizers and cocktails. The space is now also at the club’s disposal for tournaments and other events.
“We have a permanent section with an outdoor bar, seating and patio furniture,” Hendrix says. “We also have a scoring area for golf tournaments, complete with a wooden scoreboard mounted on the stone retaining wall. That area is otherwise open space, but we can bring in extra seating for larger events. It makes the patio versatile.”
A propane-powered fire bowl is an especially popular congregating place, and the propane heaters help to extend the season, Hendrix says.
A Full Deck
Patio space is great for flat areas, but for hilly or uneven ground, a deck might be the better way to go. And if you have the views that Pine Hills Country Club in Sheboygan, Wis., has, you may find that it’s worth it to go to two tiers. After members indicated in a survey that they preferred the two-tier style, the club delivered in 2014.
The deck’s upper tier “is often included when booking the main-level banquet facilities, while the lower deck remains open for member use,” notes General Manager Paul Hattimer, CCM. In this way, he adds, members can enjoy the outdoor space any day of the week.
Constructed with low-maintenance Brazilian Ipe wood and Cream City Brick, the deck features an LED-lighted stairwell that divides the space into a soft seating area (replete with a rectangular fire pit) and a dining area. “The deck has three natural gas heaters, in addition to the fire pit, to prolong the season,” Hattimer adds.
Since the club’s $2.5 million renovation ($250,000 of which was for the deck), a la carte sales are up 20 percent, Hattimer reports.
“The deck has already been used for wedding ceremonies, bands, cocktail parties, dining and after-dinner drinks,” he says, adding that he believes the extra business is possible simply because of the space. In fact, the outdoor event staging has proved to be so popular, Pine Hill recently graded and sodded an additional area to the west of the deck that can accommodate a tent holding up to 120 people.
At Woodside Plantation, Rusch notes, the local market has practically been conditioned for outdoor entertainment. “In downtown Aiken, there are a lot of quaint shops and restaurants, and a lot of outdoor seating areas. It’s a great spot for being outdoors all year, so this offering made sense for our members,” he says. Overall food-and-beverage use has also increased at his property, he adds.
The old saying that “you get out of it what you put into it” holds true for club outdoor spaces. The Woodside staff has made an effort to provide special programming on the patio, Rusch says, and has experienced tremendous success as a result.
“After we kicked things off with our grand reopening party, we added things like live music twice a month on the patio, as a way to provide a venue for family and friends to get together and enjoy their club,” he says. “We also hired a gentleman to interact each week with our members in a trivia night program, asking questions in a social setting and handing out prizes. It all emphasizes that sense of community.”
Outdoor Trends for the Year Ahead
Are all of your outdoor seating cushions going to be the color of “Marsala” this year? In case you haven’t heard, the earthy, wine-toned hue (see swatch, above right) is the Pantone Color Institute’s Color of the Year for 2015 (because “Radiant Orchid” is so 2014).
The deep red shade matches up with several design trends for 2015—it’s more sophisticated than playful, and more at home on textures like upholstery and accessories, rather than simply staying on slick walls.
C&RB did some digging to find out what other trends the design experts are touting, particularly as they apply to outdoor areas. Here’s a brief list:
• “Constructed” furniture, showing craftsmanship in details such as rivets, hinges, etc.
• Vivid saturation (vs. neon brights), which “Marsala” exemplifies
• Continuing the weathered look (and sustainable is preferable to plastic)
• Nautical blues vs. naturals (with pops of vivid orange or yellow for contrast)
• Lanterns and spot lighting (vs. string- and recessed-lighting)
• Layered lighting—with layer one being ambient, layer two functional/safety lighting (steps, etc.), and layer three “the finishing touch” for showcasing art or landscaping.
Sources: www.pantone.com; www.coroflot.com/Esse_Tarrolly/2016-Outdoor-Furniture-Trends; www.decoist.com/2014-05-26/outdoor-design-trends-summer; www.slideshare.net/dunkerleyjean/3-outdoor-living-space-trends-and-tips-for-2015
Care and Feeding
Maintenance duties have evolved as Woodside’s patio has gone through the seasons, Rusch admits. “We now use a leaf blower before anyone arrives and make sure the tables and chairs are clean and presentable,” he reports. “We have dedicated service staff in the spring, summer and fall, to ensure it’s member-ready at all times.”
The stamped-concrete patio and stacked stone retaining wall require very little upkeep, Rusch adds, noting that the concrete needs to be resealed about every 36 months.
Brentwood’s Hendrix has his grounds maintenance team use a leaf blower on the flagstone patio first thing in the morning, so the service staff only needs to worry about cleaning glasses and wiping down tables after arriving.
“We’ve been re-evaluating our standard serving hours, too, by staffing more according to the weather,” Hendrix says. “We worry about cold and rain, but sometimes when it’s too hot, guests won’t take advantage of the patio, either. We’ve also encountered days where it appeared overcast in the morning, but a beautiful afternoon makes the patio attractive. It’s been a learning curve.”
Still, it’s been more than worth it. “Since early June, we have hosted several successful private parties and member events,” Hendrix says. “It’s also been fantastic for tournaments, for cocktails and appetizers, and even a few lunches. It’s really caught the steam of others, and led to additional event requests.”
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